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McLaren’s F1 driver Fernando Alonso cleared to return for Malaysian GP
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso blames crash on car problem on eve of F1 return
(about 1 hour later)
Fernando Alonso has been given the final green light to return to Formula One action in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix following an examination undertaken at the Sepang International Circuit.
Fernando Alonso insists there was a problem with his car when he crashed in testing in Barcelona last month, even though exhaustive tests by his McLaren team have ruled out any form of mechanical failure.
The two-times world champion was declared fit by the FIA medical delegate and chief medical officer and upon receiving the all clear, Alonso dismissed McLaren’s theory a gust of wind was the cause of the pre-season testing accident which forced him out of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Alonso was speaking here after further medical tests cleared him to make his first appearance of the 2015 Formula One season at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday.
Alonso sustained concussion from the crash, which resulted in him missing the third and final test in Barcelona, along with race at Melbourne’s Albert Park. McLaren, now supported by new power-unit supplier Honda, immediately dismissed suggestions there was any fault with their car.
Alonso maintains his steering locked before he crashed at turn three at the Circuit de Catalunya in the second of the three pre-season testing sessions. He spent three days in hospital following the accident, in which he suffered concussion, and missed the opening race of the season in Melbourne on 15 March.
Instead, the Woking-based marque suggested it was a freak of nature that resulted in Alonso losing control of his car and hitting a wall at the Circuit de Catalunya. Now Alonso, conducting his first media session since the accident, has claimed the steering wheel locked, forcing him off track.
Alonso also said he had a four-hour memory loss – but only after he had been admitted to hospital and received medication. The double world champion also dismissed McLaren’s claim that strong winds had played a part in the incident.
“It was a normal concussion,” Alonso said. “I had it when I went to the hospital, but I went there in good condition. But there is a time I don’t remember, from 2pm to 6pm – something like that.
“There was a lot of attention on that day and probably the first answers the team and my manager had was some guess,” he said. “They said the theory of the wind but obviously it was not a help. We had a steering problem in the middle of turn three. It locked to the right, I approached the wall, I braked at the last moment, I downshifted from fifth to third.
“But everything was normal because of the medication they give you to go to the helicopter, and then to do some tests at the hospital. So everything was normal – I didn’t wake up in ‘95, or speaking Italian, or all these things that were out there. I remembered the accident, and everything the following day.
“Unfortunately on the data, we’re still missing some parts. The data acquisition on that particular area of the car is not top. It is clear that there was a problem on the car. It’s not been found on the data at the moment. There is not a clear answer.
“There is nothing in the data, anything clear we can spot and we can say it was that, but definitely there was a steering problem in the middle of turn three. It locked to the right. I approached the wall, braked at the last moment, downshifted from fifth to third.
“I remember everything. It was a sunny morning, [I remember] all the set-up changes, all the lap times. [Sebastian] Vettel was in front of me before turn three but cut the chicane to let me go.
“Unfortunately we are still missing acquisition data on that particular area of the car. It’s not at the top. There are some new sensors here for this race, some changes we have made to the steering rack and other parts.”
“After the hit, I was kissing the wall for a while, then I switched off the radio first because it was on, then I switched off the master switch. I was perfectly conscious at that time.
Attempting to explain McLaren’s rationale behind their early remarks, Alonso added: “Some of the confusion comes from the very early quotes and very early explanations. That was because the attention and stress was very high at that moment, with me in intensive care, and an urgency to say something.”
“I lost the consciousness in the ambulance or in the clinic at the track. The doctors said this is normal because the medication they give is for the helicopter transportation and the checks they do in the hospital like the MRI and evaluation need this protocol, it needs this medication, so it’s normal.”
Despite the apparent issue with the car, Alonso insists he will have no problems returning to the cockpit for first practice on Friday.
Rumours persist that Alonso lost consciousness – at least partially – before the crash. But he passed medical tests at the track on Thursday – before intensive tests in Cambridge on Sunday – clearing him to drive at the weekend, making his second debut for the McLaren team he left at the end of 2007.
The Spaniard said: “There are zero problems, zero worries on my side. Everything is OK. I fully trust the team. For one month they’ve looked at every single component, simulating and doing so many tests, changing every single part where they had some doubts.
“I think we have the safest car right now, with all the studies they’ve done. And after one month I’m probably the most checked driver in medical history, so we should fine – both parts!”
